Humboldt County, Nevada

crime

Today, Washington Republicans launched their latest false attack against Catherine Cortez Masto. Previous attacks from Congressman Heck’s numerous special interests allies have been called false, highly misleading, and “B.S..” The reality is: Washington Republicans are trying to distract voters from Congressman Heck putting his party ahead of the safety of Nevadans.

“Washington Republicans are desperate to change the subject from Congressman Heck’s support of Donald Trump for President,” said Zach Hudson, spokesperson for Catherine Cortez Masto for Senate. “The truth is: while Catherine Cortez Masto spent eight years as Attorney General protecting Nevadans from predators, Congressman Heck has voted twenty four times to allow suspected terrorists to buy guns and wants to put Donald Trump in charge of our nation’s nuclear launch codes. Congressman Heck’s support of Donald Trump as our Commander-in-Chief demonstrates he doesn’t have the judgment to be Nevada’s next Senator and will put partisan politics ahead of the safety of Nevadans.”

Washington Post Fact Check: NRSC “Exaggerated Charges” And Used “Misleading Language” To Frighten Voters Into Thinking Cortez Masto Made A Foreign Policy Blunder By Supporting Iran Deal. In September 2015, Washington Post fact checker Glenn Kessler wrote, “This is an ad designed to frighten voters into thinking that Masto has made a tragic foreign-policy blunder that will lead to nuclear conflict. But the images would be justified only if the case were as compelling as the NRSC suggests. Instead, the organization has exaggerated the charges and used misleading language to make its case. With a few tweaks in the wording and less stark images, the NRSC could make a reasonable argument that supporting the nuclear deal is a mistake. But this effort is a miss.” [Washington Post Fact Check, NRSC Ad “There’s No Going Back,” 10/6/15]

Washington Post Fact Check: NRSC Ad “Incorrectly” Suggested Iran Deal Allows The Financing Of Terrorists. In September 2015, Washington Post fact checker Glenn Kessler wrote, “Iran has billions of dollars in assets that are frozen in foreign banks around the globe, and this deal would unlock those funds. No one quite knows how much money is at stake, but estimates range from $29 billion to $150 billion, with $100 billion the figure most often used. The Treasury Department has estimated that once Iran fulfills other obligations, it would have about $56 billion left. That’s certainly ‘billions.’ But remember, this is already Iran’s money; it is not being ‘given’ any kind of signing bonus. […] The ad, however, incorrectly suggests that the agreement directly allows the financing of terrorists.” [Washington Post Fact Check, NRSC Ad “There’s No Going Back,” 10/6/15]

Washington Post Fact Check: NRSC Ad Used “Misleading Language” To Make It Appear That Arms Controls Were Being Weakened. In September 2015, Washington Post fact checker Glenn Kessler wrote, “‘Arms controls’ refers to U.N. Security Council sanctions limiting nations from supplying Iran’s weapon programs. Iran had wanted the sanctions lifted immediately, but as a compromise the deal called for the embargo on ballistic missiles to be lifted after a maximum of eight years. Sanctions on conventional weapons would be lifted after five years. The time frame could be shortened if the International Atomic Energy Agency determines that Iran’s nuclear program was only for peaceful purposes. Here, again, the ad uses misleading language. This nuclear deal is an arms-control agreement, but ad makes it appears as if ‘arms controls’ are being weakened. Supplies for Iran’s ballistic missile program were under sanctions, but there were never agreed limits on the number of Iran’s ballistic missiles, as is typical in an arms-control agreement.” [Washington Post Fact Check, NRSC Ad “There’s No Going Back,” 10/6/15]

Washington Post Fact Check: Despite NRSC Ad Claims, All Of Iran’s Nuclear Sites Will Have Continuous Monitoring And IAEA Officials Insisted Verification Was “Not Compromised.” In September 2015, Washington Post fact checker Glenn Kessler wrote, “Under the deal, all of Iran’s declared nuclear sites, such as the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, will be under continuous monitoring by the IAEA. For 10 years, Iran will have limits on the uranium enrichment permitted at Natanz; the IAEA will be able to keep close tabs on the production. The deal also allows IAEA monitoring of Iran’s centrifuge production and storage facilities, the procurement chain, and the mining and milling of uranium — verification measures that many experts say exceed those under previous negotiated nuclear deals with other nations. So what is the ad talking about? It is referring to sites that have not been declared as nuclear, such as sensitive military locations. Under a side agreement between Iran and the IAEA, Iran will help collect samples at Parchin, which Tehran says is a conventional military facility, though the IAEA believes explosive triggers for nuclear weapons may have been tested there. The IAEA sought access to the site to determine whether there had been a military dimension to Iran’s nuclear program. News reports have given contradictory information on what took place during a September visit to Parchin by the IAEA. Officials have said that Iranian technicians played a role in obtaining the samples — possibly without IAEA officials present — but insisted that the verification process was not compromised. Still, officials have conceded that the arrangement was a departure from the way the IAEA normally conducts inspections. In any case, the ad again greatly simplifies a complex issue.” [Washington Post Fact Check, NRSC Ad “There’s No Going Back,”10/6/15]

PolitiFact: NRSC Ad “Mostly False” Because Crime Statistics Were A Crude Way To Measure Safety And Nevada Had Several Quirks That Inflated Numbers. “Experts agree that crime statistics are a crude way to measure safety, and Nevada has several quirks that inflate the numbers. The ad claims that Cortez Masto ‘couldn’t keep us safe,’ but crime statistics have more to do with local law enforcement agencies than the state’s attorney general. The NRSC offers no proven link connecting her actions as attorney general to a swing in murder, robbery and rape. The statement contains an element of truth but leaves out important details. We rate the statement Mostly False.” [PolitiFact, 8/10/16]

PolitiFact: No Proof That Cortez Masto Had Anything To Do With Decline Of Crime In First Term Or Subsequent Increase In Second. “That’s a serious charge, and there’s no concrete proof she had anything to do with the decline in crime in her first term or the subsequent increase in her second. Crime was at an historical low in 2011, and it’s hard to say why. The crime report itself cautions police agencies against drawing any conclusions about a specific department given the variety of factors that can affect crime trends. ‘Because of other assigned duties, the peculiar cycle of crime and clearances, and different community factors that normally affect crime statistics, no conclusions regarding individual departments should be made without consulting directly with the agency being analyzed,’ the report states.” [PolitiFact, 8/10/16]

PolitiFact: No Proof That Cortez Masto Caused Nevada’s Ranking Third In Ten Most Dangerous States. “Similarly, there is some truth that Nevada took the third spot in a ranking of the 10 most dangerous states. Again, however, it’s not proven what Cortez Masto had to do with it, and the source is not as credible as the FBI. The NRSC cites a list published in January 2015 from 24/7 Wall Street, a website that covers financial news. The list indeed ranks Nevada third, but the data relies on both crime data and socioeconomic factors, such as the poverty rate and the percentage of adults with a high school diploma. No attorneys general, in Nevada or elsewhere, play much of a role in setting educational policy or promoting programs to get people out of poverty.”[Politifact, 8/10/16]

PolitiFact: NRSC Cherry-Picked Handful Of Crime Statistics To Portray Cortez Masto As Weak On Crime. “The NRSC ad says Nevada was ranked as the third most dangerous state by the time Cortez Masto left office, and that “murder went up 11 percent, robbery went up 28 percent, rape 51 percent” during her second term. The NRSC cherry-picks a handful of short-term crime statistics to portray Cortez Masto as weak on crime enforcement. But the argument is flawed.” [PolitiFact, 8/10/16]

PolitiFact Nevada: NRSC Claim That Cortez Masto Took Pay Increases Is “A Highly Misleading Claim.” “The NRSC said Cortez Masto ‘was happy to line her own pockets with taxpayer dollars when state employees were slammed with frozen salaries,’ but this is a highly misleading claim. The state increased Cortez Masto’s salary during a time of pay freezes for Nevada’s state workers. She was unable to legally reject the pay increase, so she donated $38,000 back to the state during her last four years in office. We rate the claim Mostly False.” [PolitiFact Nevada, 2/3/16]

PolitiFact Nevada: It’s Clear That As Attorney General, Cortez Masto Didn’t “Pad Her Pockets” While State Workers Suffered – She Received Essentially The Same Salary During Her Eight Years In Office. “According to information collected from TransparentNevada.com and records request from the state Controller’s office, PolitiFact Nevada put together this spreadsheet of salaries, donations and what percentage of salary was donated back to the state. As shown, it’s clear that as Attorney General, Cortez Masto didn’t ‘pad her pockets’ while state workers suffered — rather, she received essentially the same salary (not counting benefits) during her eight years in office when donations are subtracted out.” [PolitiFact Nevada, 2/3/16]

Jon Ralston: Freedom Partners Uber Ad Is “Bullshit” – Uber Is Still Here. In June 2016, Jon Ralston tweeted: “@FreedomPartners digital ad on @CatherineForNV is brutal but BS: It says she ‘drove them out of town,’ but Uber is still here.’ [Twitter, Jon Ralston, 6/24/16]

Politifact Rated The Uber Attack Ad Mostly False “Because The Ad Takes Things Out Of Context.” ” Freedom Partners got a couple of the details right in the amount of taxi industry donations and Cortez Masto’s aggressive legal actions against Uber. But there’s a convincing argument that Uber at the very least bent the rules, and it’s clear that Cortez Masto didn’t have some sort of individual vendetta against the ride-hailing company — her office was working with state regulators who specifically requested the attorney general take action. The ad also neglects to mention how Uber only temporarily left town. The ridesharing service is very much up and running through Nevada a year after its initial skirmish with the state. Because this ad takes things out of context, we rate it Mostly False.” [Politifact, 7/7/16]

Heck Supporter And Former Nevada Transportation Authority Chairman Said It’s Possible Cortez Masto Could Have Ignored The Will Of The State, But It Would Have Been Highly Unusual, “I Couldn’t Foresee The AG Or Any AG Not Enforcing State Law.” “Former Nevada Transportation Authority chairman Andrew MacKay said the massive size of Uber’s workforce dwarfed the enforcement capabilities of state regulators, meaning the only real maneuver available was a court-ordered restraining order. MacKay, who disclosed that he’s supporting Republican Joe Heck in the state’s Senate race, detailed some of the issues with Uber in a three-page affidavit describing the more stringent requirements of Nevada’s cab companies. […] MacKay, chairman of the state’s ‘client’ in the case against Uber, said it’s theoretically possible that Cortez Masto could have ignored the will of the state and not filed suit, but it would have been highly unusual. ‘I couldn’t foresee the AG or any AG not enforcing state law,’ MacKay said.” [Politifact, 7/7/16]

Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Steve Sebelius: Two Recent Ads From The Koch Brothers-Backed Freedom Partners Action Fund PAC Targeting Cortez Masto Arranged Perfectly True Facts To Lead To A False Conclusion. “Anybody who’s ever been to a courthouse knows its possible to arrange perfectly true facts to lead a jury to a false conclusion. It’s no different in the court of public opinion. Take two recent ads from the Koch brothers-backed Freedom Partners Action Fund PAC targeting Democratic former Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, who’s now running for Senate. The ads allege she hired a well-connected Washington, D.C., law firm to sue Bank of America during the foreclosure crisis. The firm earned millions in fees. Partners in the firm later gave Cortez Masto campaign contributions. Therefore, corruption!” [Las Vegas Review Journal, Column, 5/10/16]

Las Vegas Review Journal’s Steve Sebelius: “Sounds Much More Like Cortez Masto Doing Her Job Than Cozying Up To A Washington Special Interest For Personal Profit.” “So, while it’s true Cortez Masto recommended the hiring of a law firm that earned money representing the state and whose partners later contributed to her campaign, it’s also true the firm successfully forced one of the largest banks in the country to pay the state millions to compensate for alleged wrongdoing. That sounds much more like Cortez Masto doing her job than cozying up to a Washington special interest for personal profit. In fact, you’d have to very carefully arrange the facts to lead people to that conclusion. That’s why you always have to wait until you’ve heard the entire story, in court and out.” [Las Vegas Review Journal, Column, 5/10/16]

VOICEOVER:But the deal gets billions to the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism

THE TRUTH: MILITARY & NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS AGREE: IRAN DEAL IS THE BEST PATH FORWARD75 Arms Control And Nuclear Nonproliferation Experts Endorsed The Iran Deal. “Dozens of arms control and nuclear nonproliferation experts have signed a statement endorsing the Iran nuclear deal, the latest salvo in a lobbying campaign battle ahead of a congressional vote next month on President Barack Obama’s landmark agreement with Tehran. The Arms Control Association, a nonpartisan group based in Washington, will release the statement Tuesday morning. It declares the deal limiting Iran’s nuclear program in return for sanctions relief ‘a net-plus for international nuclear nonproliferation efforts.’ Story Continued Below Among the 75 signatories are the former CIA agent Valerie Plame and her husband, Joe Wilson, prominent opponents of the Iraq War. Others include Hans Blix, a former director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Morton Halperin, a foreign policy veteran of three administrations; and Thomas Pickering, a retired diplomat and former U.S. ambassador to Israel.” [Politico,8/18/15]

Three Dozen Retired Generals And Admirals Called The Agreement “The Most Effective Means Currently Available” To Prevent Iran From Getting The Bomb. “Three dozen retired generals and admirals released an open letter Tuesday supporting the Iran nuclear deal and urging Congress to do the same. Calling the agreement “the most effective means currently available to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons,” the letter said that gaining international support for military action against Iran, should that ever become necessary, ‘would only be possible if we have first given the diplomatic path a chance.’” [Washington Post, 8/11/15]

More Than 100 Former U.S. Ambassadors Praised The Iran Deal For Preventing The Spread Of Nuclear Weapons In The Middle East. “More than 100 former American ambassadors wrote to President Obama on Thursday praising the nuclear deal reached with Iran this week as a ‘landmark agreement’ that could be effective in halting Tehran’s development of a nuclear weapon, and urging Congress to support it. ‘If properly implemented, this comprehensive and rigorously negotiated agreement can be an effective instrument in arresting Iran’s nuclear program and preventing the spread of nuclear weapons in the volatile and vitally important region of the Middle East,’ said the letter, whose signers include diplomats named by presidents of both parties.” [New York Times,7/16/15]

Former Republican National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft Said The Iran Agreement Will Prevent “The Possible Spread Of Nuclear Weapons” And Stabilize The Middle East. “Congress again faces a momentous decision regarding U.S. policy toward the Middle East. The forthcoming vote on the nuclear deal between the P5+1 and Iran (known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA) will show the world whether the United States has the will and sense of responsibility to help stabilize the Middle East, or whether it will contribute to further turmoil, including the possible spread of nuclear weapons. Strong words perhaps, but clear language is helpful in the cacophony of today’s media. In my view, the JCPOA meets the key objective, shared by recent administrations of both parties, that Iran limit itself to a strictly civilian nuclear program with unprecedented verification and monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.N. Security Council. Iran has committed to never developing or acquiring a nuclear weapon; the deal ensures that this will be the case for at least 15 years and likely longer, unless Iran repudiates the inspection regime and its commitments under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and Additional Protocol.” [Washington Post, Brent Scowcroft Op-Ed,8/21/15]

Former U.S. Ambassador To Israel Under President Reagan, Thomas Pickering, Endorsed The Iran Agreement. [Arms Control Association Press Release, 8/17/15]

Former Senators Richard Lugar And Sam Nunn: Rejecting The Deal Will “Severely” Damage U.S. Leadership, Diplomacy, And Credibility. “Finally, and perhaps most importantly, members of Congress must think long and hard about the consequences if this agreement is turned down. There is no escaping the conclusion that there will inevitably be grave implications for U.S. security and for U.S. international leadership in the decades ahead. Sanctions allies will go their own way, reducing the effectiveness of our financial tools and leaving Iran in a stronger position across the board. Any future effort by this president or the next to assemble a “sanctions coalition” relating to Iran or other security challenges will be weakened. U.S. leadership, diplomacy and credibility, including efforts to achieve support for possible military action against Iran, will all be severely damaged.” [Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar, Politico, 8/30/15]

Former Republican Senator Nancy Kassenbaum Endorsed The Iran Deal. “A bipartisan group of 60 former U.S. government officials are encouraging Congress to support the nuclear deal with Iran and warning that rejecting it could pose a greater risk to U.S. security. […] Former lawmakers who signed the statement include Democratic Sens. Tom Daschle (S.D.), Gary Hart (Colo.), Carl Levin (Mich.), George Mitchell (Maine), Donald Riegle (Mich.), Mark Udall (Colo.), Tim Wirth (Colo.), and former Republican Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (Kansas). Former Democratic Reps. Lee H. Hamilton (Ind.) and Jim Slattery (Kansas) also signed the statement.” [The Hill, 7/20/15]

REALITY: IRAN SANCTIONS ON TERRORISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS REMAIN IN PLACE AND COULD BE INCREASED

Iran Deal Kept In Place U.S. Sanctions Against Iran For Terrorism And Human Rights Abuses. “The United States imposed additional sanctions when, in January 1984, the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah, an Iranian client, was implicated in the bombing of the U.S. Marine base in Beirut. That year, the United States designated Iran a state sponsor of terrorism. The designation, which remains in place, triggers a host of sanctions, including restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance, a ban on arms transfers, and export controls for dual-use items. Sanctions related to sponsorship of terrorism and human rights abuses were not affected by the nuclear deal.” [Council On Foreign Relations, 7/15/15]

President Obama Promised To Maintain Or Increase Sanctions To Punish Iran For Terrorism, Human Rights Abuses. “To reward Iran for imposing constraints on its nuclear program, the United States agreed to lift many of the crippling sanctions that have blocked the country’s integration into the world economy. But to win over wary Democrats, Mr. Obama promised that he would maintain — and perhaps even increase — sanctions to punish Iran for terrorism, human rights abuses and other ‘destabilizing activities in the region.’ Many lawmakers have indicated they would like to go further, and they are considering legislative proposals that include renewing the current sanctions against foreign companies that invest in Iran’s energy industry. Mr. Obama would waive them as long as Iran complied with the nuclear accord, but these sets of actions would be a signal that Iran is not to be trusted and that sanctions could be restored rapidly.” [New York Times, 9/11/15]

THE TRUTH: INTERNATINAL ARMS RESTRICTIONS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE FOR THE NEXT FIVE TO EIGHT YEARS

Iran Deal Kept International Restrictions On Conventional Arms For Five Years And On Ballistic Missiles For Eight Years. “The Pentagon exerted key influence over one major sticking point in the final hours of the nuclear negotiations with Iran, according to current and former U.S. officials and diplomats: when to relax the international embargo on advanced military weapons to the Islamic Republic. […] But while economic sanctions will be lifted and billions of dollars in assets unfrozen under the deal reached Tuesday, the restrictions on conventional arms sales will remain in place for five years — and for ballistic missile technologies, which worry the U.S. military commanders the most, for eight years. ” [Politico, 7/14/15]

Politico: Arms Restrictions Came As “Surprise To Many” And Was Seen As A “Major Win” For The U.S. Because Iran Had Insisted On Immediately Lifting The Arms Embargo. “The Pentagon exerted key influence over one major sticking point in the final hours of the nuclear negotiations with Iran, according to current and former U.S. officials and diplomats: when to relax the international embargo on advanced military weapons to the Islamic Republic. As the talks entered the final stages, U.S. negotiators were under enormous pressure — from Russia and China, as well as some European allies — to immediately lift the United Nations embargo that was put in place in 2010 as punishment for Iran’s nuclear weapons development, they said. Iranian diplomats, meanwhile, were insisting on immediate relief in exchange for forgoing the nation’s nuclear ambitions. But while economic sanctions will be lifted and billions of dollars in assets unfrozen under the deal reached Tuesday, the restrictions on conventional arms sales will remain in place for five years — and for ballistic missile technologies, which worry the U.S. military commanders the most, for eight years. That came as a surprise to many. And it was seen as a major win for the U.S. military establishment, which had argued both publicly and behind the scenes that allowing Iran to rearm quickly — before any confidence could be built that it was living up to the terms of the nuclear pact — was a dangerous prospect given Tehran’s recent record of destabilizing military behavior in the region.” [Politico,7/14/15]

VOICEOVER: Paves the way for Iran to build a new your bomb and rewards a country whose leaders chant death to America.

THE TRUTH: CORTEZ MASTO CALLED FOR AN END TO PARTISAN BICKERING, VOWED TO HOLD IRAN ACCOUNTABLE

Cortez Masto: We Need To Stop The Partisan Bickering And Move Forward As A United Front With This Agreement. In September 2015, Catherine Cortez Masto stated: “That part of this is that we need to project to Iran as a united front, that we are going to take action, that we are going to stop this bickering over the position—over this agreement. Once it’s an agreement, now we need to move forward and that’s where it’s going to be, and so, no, I think, again we’ve got to get back to a country where we’re leading and we’re fighting as a united front here and that’s what I’m talking about when we move forward with this agreement.” [Ralston Live, Catherine Cortez Masto interview, 9/14/15]

Cortez Masto: “If Iran Were To Violate The Agreement, Then We Take Immediate Military Strike Or Action.” In September 2015, Catherine Cortez Masto stated: “Most importantly, to ensure that if Iran were to violate the agreement, then we take immediate military strike or action. They need to know they are going to be held accountable.” [Ralston Live, Catherine Cortez Masto interview, 9/14/15]

THE TRUTH: U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO LIFT INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS IN EXCHANGE FOR STOPPING IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM

U.N. Security Council Voted Unanimously To Lift International Economic Sanctions Against Iran. “The United Nations Security Council on Monday unanimously approved a resolution that creates the basis for international economic sanctions against Iran to be lifted, a move that incited a furious reaction in Israel and potentially sets up an angry showdown in Congress. The 15-to-0 vote for approval of the resolution — 104 pages long including annexes and lists — was written in Vienna by diplomats who negotiated a landmark pact last week that limits Iran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for ending the sanctions.” [New York Times, 7/20/15]

The Deal Limited Iran’s Nuclear Capability And Imposed Strict Monitoring In Exchange For Lifting International Economic Sanctions. “The United States and other world powers reached a historic agreement with Iran here Tuesday, aimed at preventing the Islamic republic from building a nuclear weapon in return for the lifting of sanctions that have isolated the country and hobbled its economy. President Obama, after announcing the agreement in Washington, quickly turned to what may be the more arduous task of selling the deal to skeptical lawmakers and U.S. allies in the Middle East. […] In Vienna news briefings and Washington conference calls, senior administration officials joined the president in hailing the agreement — which limits Iran’s nuclear capability and imposes strict international monitoring in exchange for lifting international economic sanctions — as a way to make America and the world more secure.” [Washington Post, 7/14/15]

REALITY: INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS WILL SNAPBACK IF IRAN CHEATS

Obama Administration Vowed That Iran Would Not Be Allowed To Bankroll Terrorism And Sanctions Would Be “Snapped Back” Quickly If Iran Cheats. “Obama administration officials told lawmakers on Wednesday that sanctions relief under the Iran nuclear deal will not be allowed to be used to bankroll terrorism and said the sanctions can be ‘snapped back’ quickly if Tehran violates the agreement. […] If Iran were to violate its commitments under the deal, U.S. sanctions could be reimposed ‘in a matter of days,’ he said. Sherman repeatedly reminded the panel that the military option remains on the table and insisted the deal was the best alternative to war.” [Reuters, 8/5/15]

International Sanctions Against Iran Would Automatically Resume If The U.S. Or Western Allies Believe Iran Violates The Deal. “The so-called snapback mechanism to renew United Nations sanctions is one of the most unusual parts of the deal. In the event that Iran is perceived as violating it, the agreement allows the full raft of penalties to resume automatically, without a vote on the Council that would risk a veto by one of its permanent members — namely, Russia, Iran’s closest ally on the Council. Preventing a resumption of sanctions would require a vote by the Security Council. Instead, the snapback mechanism allows any of the six world powers that negotiated the deal to flag what it considers a violation. They would submit their concerns to a dispute resolution panel. If those concerns remained unresolved, the sanctions would automatically resume after 30 days, or ‘snap back.’ According to the draft Security Council resolution, this means that the previous penalties ‘shall apply in the same manner as they applied before.’ Preventing a resumption of sanctions would require a vote by the Security Council. That in turn can be vetoed by those who would want the sanctions resumed, presumably the United States and its Western allies.” [New York Times,7/16/15]

U.N. Security Council Resolution Allowed U.S. To Block Future Attempts At Sanctions Relief If Iran Cheats And Sanctions Are Reimposed. “The U.S. circulated a U.N. Security Council resolution Wednesday that would endorse the nuclear deal reached with Iran and lift most U.N. sanctions over the next decade. The resolution would allow the U. S.—or any other permanent member of the Security Council—to use its veto to restore the measures if Iran is seen to be violating the nuclear deal, a U.S. official said. […] At any time, the U.S. or any of its partners in the deal could bring an allegation of violations of the agreement to a new dispute-resolution mechanism. If that fails to resolve the issue, the U.S., for example, could ask the Security Council for a vote on whether to continue sanctions relief. Thus if the U.S. wanted to ‘snap back’ the U.N. sanctions, it could use its veto and the sanctions would be restored. The entire process would take a maximum 65 days.” [Wall Street Journal, 7/15/15]

VOICEOVER: No concern? Cortez Masto Nevada should be concerned very concerned

THE TRUTH: FROM 2004 TO 2015, OVER 2,000 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS WERE ALLOWED TO PURCHASE FIREARMS…

Between 2004 And 2015, No Fewer Than 2,265 People On The Terrorist Watch List Passed A Federal Gun Background Check – A Successful Purchase Rate Of Over 90 Percent. “‘Membership in a terrorist organization does not prohibit a person from possessing firearms or explosives under current federal law,’ as the Government Accountability Office concluded in 2010. And indeed, plenty of people on these watch lists do purchase firearms: Between 2004 and 2015, people on the terrorist watch list passed federal gun background checks no fewer than 2,265 times. At least three of those background checks involved the purchase of explosives. Only 212 attempted purchases were blocked, a successful purchase rate of over 90 percent.” [Washington Post, 6/17/16]

In 2015 Alone, 223 Of 244 People On The Terrorist Watch Successfully Attempted To Purchase Guns. “Last year alone, people on the terrorist watch list attempted to purchase guns 244 times. Of those, 223 attempts were successful.” [Washington Post, 6/17/16]

… BUT CONGRESSMAN HECK VOTED 24 TIMES AGAINST DEBATING A BILL TO BAN SUSPECTED TERRORISTS FROM PURCHASING FIREARMS, EVEN AFTER TERRORIST ATTACKS IN ORLANDO & SAN BERNANDINO

Heck Voted 11 Times Against Democratic Measures To Close The Terrorist Gun Loophole After The San Bernardino Terrorist Shooting. “Republicans in Congress made it clear Thursday that they will not be moving quickly to bring up new gun control legislation in the wake of Wednesday’s shootings in San Bernardino, Calif. […] Obama said Wednesday that Congress should, at a minimum, take up legislation that would bar anyone on the federal terrorist watch list from buying a gun. He told CBS News ‘some may be aware of the fact that we have a no-fly list where people can’t get on planes but those same people who we don’t allow to fly could go into a store right now in the United States and buy a firearm and there’s nothing that we can do to stop them. That’s a law that needs to be changed.’ But House Republicans have rejected several Democratic attempts to use a procedural motion to bring that legislation to the House floor this week.” Heck voted 13 times against motions to bring forth the “No Fly, No Buy” bill that would close the terrorist gun loophole. [USA Today,12/3/15; H.R. 3662, Vote 36, 1/12/16; H.R. 581, Vote 21,1/7/16; H.R. 580, Vote 4, 1/6/16; H. R. 579, Vote 2,1/6/16; H.Res. 560, Vote 690, 12/11/15; motion to table H.R. 1076, Vote 688,12/10/15; H.R. 2130, Vote 685, 12/9/15; H.Res. 556, Vote 682,12/9/15; H Res 546, Vote 666, 12/3/15; H Res 542, Vote 653, 12/2/15; H Res 539, Vote 646,12/1/15]

Heck Voted 13 Times Against Closing The Terrorist Gun Loophole After Democrats Staged A Sit-In To Try To Force The U.S. House To Vote On The “No Fly, No Buy” Measure After Orlando Shooting. “House Democrats are trying to force a vote on several gun control measures, but are being shut down by the GOP majority. For the second time in two weeks, Rep. James Clyburn (S.C.) sought to be recognized on the House floor Tuesday night so he could bring up two gun-related bills on expanded background checks and the so-called ‘No fly, no buy’ proposal. That measure states that anyone on the FBI’s ‘No Fly’ list cannot purchase a gun. But Republicans refused to allow Clyburn to move forward.” Heck voted 11 times against motions to bring forth the “No Fly, No Buy” bill that would close the terrorist gun loophole. [Politico,6/21/16; H.Res. 783, Vote 304, 6/15/16; H.R. 5053, Vote 299, 6/14/16; H J Res 88, Vote 337, 6/22/16; H Res 796, Vote 343, 7/05/16; H Res 793, Vote 345, 7/05/16; H Res 794, Vote 347, 7/05/16; H Res 803, Vote 352, 7/06/16; HR 4361, Vote 375, 7/06/16; H Res 809, Vote 387, 7/07/16; H Res 820, Vote 406, 7/12/16; H Res 89, Vote 408,7/12/16; H.R. 2130, Vote 415,7/12/16; H Res 822, Vote 439,7/13/16]

VOICEOVER: NRSC is responsible for the content of this advertising.

REALITY: WASHINGTON REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO DISTRACT FROM CONGRESSMAN HECK’S SUPPORT FOR DONALD TRUMP…

Heck: “I Have High Hopes That We Will See Donald Trump Become The Next President.” “‘I have high hopes that we will see Donald Trump become the next president,’ he said. ‘Though I don’t necessarily agree with how he talks about women and minorities and all of his policy positions, but if he wants to make America great again by bringing jobs back to America, then I am willing to help him achieve those goals and hold him accountable. And as the next U.S. senator from Nevada, I will make sure I stand as a check against anything that is not in our best interest.’” [Pahrump Valley Times, 6/1/16]

KTNV: Heck “Swatted Away Suggestions” That Trump’s Rhetoric And Immigration Policies Would Hurt His Chances. “Heck also swatted away suggestions that Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump’s divisive rhetoric and plans to deport 11 million undocumented migrants would hurt his chances, saying that he won his demographically diverse congressional district by increasingly larger margins over the last three elections.” [KTNV, 3/14/16]

Heck On Donald Trump: “He’s Out There Talking About What He Needs To Talk About To Run For President.” “So, what does Congressman Joe Heck, Nevada’s Republican candidate for US Senate, think of the guy at the top of the GOP presidential polls? ‘I don’t talk about Donald,’ Heck told News 3 after a morning event put on by the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce. ‘He’s out there talking about what he needs to talk about to run for President,’ Heck added after ‘Eggs and Issues,’ the Chamber’s breakfast debrief with local newsmakers. The Thursday event was held at Vdara in CityCenter.” [KSNV, 8/27/15]

…AND TRUMP’S DANGEROUS AND RECKLESS FOREIGN POLICY THAT WOULD PUT AMERICA’S NATIONAL SECURITY AT RISK

Trump Set Off Alarm Bells Among U.S. Allies By Suggesting He Would Not Honor Core Tenet Of NATO’s Military Alliance – Comments That Were Perceived By Some Analysts As Carte Blanche For Russia To Intimidate NATO Allies. “Donald Trump set off alarm bells in European capitals Thursday after suggesting he might not honor the core tenet of the NATO military alliance. Trump said the U.S. would not necessarily defend new NATO members in the Baltics in the event of Russian attack if he were elected to the White House. He told The New York Times in an interview published Thursday that doing so would depend on whether those countries had ‘fulfilled their obligations to us’ in terms of their financial contributions to the alliance. ‘You can’t forget the bills,’ Trump told the paper. ‘They have an obligation to make payments. Many NATO nations are not making payments, are not making what they’re supposed to make. That’s a big thing. You can’t say forget that.’ Trump’s comments were perceived by some analysts as carte blanche for Russia to intimidate NATO allies and a potential harbinger of the alliance’s collapse were Trump to be elected.” [NBC News, 7/21/16]

Trump Questioned The Need For NATO, The Backbone Of Western Security Policy Since The Cold War. “Donald Trump outlined an unabashedly noninterventionist approach to world affairs Monday, telling The Washington Post’s editorial board that he questions the need for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which has formed the backbone of Western security policies since the Cold War. […] Trump said that U.S. involvement in NATO may need to be significantly diminished in the coming years, breaking with nearly seven decades of consensus in Washington. ‘We certainly can’t afford to do this anymore,’ Trump said, adding later, ‘NATO is costing us a fortune, and yes, we’re protecting Europe with NATO, but we’re spending a lot of money.’” [Washington Post, 3/21/16]

Joint Chiefs Chairman Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford Strongly Reject Trump’s Torture Remarks, Saying They Did Not Represent American Values. “Joint Chiefs Chairman Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford indirectly but strongly rejected Thursday the campaign statements of Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump that ‘torture works.’ Put on the spot about Trump’s remarks by Rep. Betty McCollum, a Democrat from Minnesota, Dunford didn’t respond directly but made clear that torture was out of bounds for a military that embodies American values. ‘One of the things that makes me proud to represent this uniform is that we represent the values of the American people,’ the general said in testimony before the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee. While he never mentioned Trump’s name, he said, ‘When our young men and women go to war, they go with our values.’” [Military.com, 2/25/16]

Trump Said He’d Force U.S. Military To Commit War Crimes. “In an answer at Thursday night’s presidential debate, tycoon Donald Trump said he would force the U.S. military to commit war crimes. Mr. Trump has suggested that he’d order the U.S. military to kill families of Muslim terrorists and institute interrogation techniques worse than waterboarding, itself widely condemned as torture. Torture and retaliatory executions are both war crimes under international law. […] ‘They won’t refuse. They’re not going to refuse me,’ he said. ‘If I say do it, they’re going to do it.’” [Washington Times, 3/3/16]

AFGHANISTAN

Trump Tweeted That Afghanistan Was A Mistake And That The U.S. Should Pull Its Troops Out. “Let’s get out of Afghanistan. Our troops are being killed by the Afghanis we train and we waste billions there. Nonsense! Rebuild the USA.” [@realDonaldTrump, 1/11/13]

Trump On Afghanistan: “We Made A Terrible Mistake Getting Involved There In The First Place.” “But a review of the transcript from his October 6 interview with Cuomo makes clear that Trump was indeed labeling Afghanistan a mistake, since he was comparing the situation there with that in Iraq. Though Trump and Cuomo were initially discussing the situation in Iraq and Syria, the host switched gears to talk about Afghanistan, mentioning the country by name twice. […] He continued, ‘We made a terrible mistake getting involved there in the first place.’” [CNN, 10/21/15]

ISRAEL

Times Of Israel: Trump Says He’ll Make Israel Pay For Defense Aid. “During a press conference in Washington, Trump was asked whether he believed the Israeli government should pay for American defense, as he had called for other US allies such as South Korea, Japan and Saudi Arabia to do. ‘I think Israel will do that also, yeah, I think Israel do—there are many countries that can pay and they can pay big league,’ responded the billionaire businessman.” [Times of Israel, 3/22/16]

NORTH KOREA

New York Times: North Korea Applauded Trump’s Threat To Withdraw Troops From South Korea. “On Wednesday, the official newspaper of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party published a commentary praising Mr. Trump’s threat to pull American troops out of South Korea if elected president, unless Seoul pays more for their presence. It said the threat had shocked South Korean policy makers, who it characterized as servants of America, a standard theme of the North’s propaganda. […]In a March interview with The New York Times, Mr. Trump accused South Korea of not contributing enough toward the cost of keeping tens of thousands of American troops in the country, suggesting he might withdraw them if elected.” [New York Times, 6/1/16]

Trump Said He Would Be Willing To Withdraw U.S. Forces From Japan And South Korea If They Did Not Substantially Increase Their Contributions To Maintaining Troops. “He also said he would be open to allowing Japan and South Korea to build their own nuclear arsenals rather than depend on the American nuclear umbrella for their protection against North Korea and China. If the United States ‘keeps on its path, its current path of weakness, they’re going to want to have that anyway, with or without me discussing it,’ Mr. Trump said. And he said he would be willing to withdraw United States forces from both Japan and South Korea if they did not substantially increase their contributions to the costs of housing and feeding those troops. ‘Not happily, but the answer is yes,’ he said.” [New York Times, 3/26/16]

North Korea Claimed Advancements In Ballistic Missile Technology And Called For Further Nuclear Warhead Tests. “North Korean leader Kim Jong Un claimed a key advance in ballistic missile technology and called for further missile and nuclear warhead tests ‘in a short time,’ the latest in a string of recent threats aimed at creating fear of war in the U.S. and South Korea. Mr. Kim observed a simulation of a ballistic missile warhead’s ability to withstand the heat and pressure of its descent to target, according to a report from the nation’s state news agency published Tuesday. The date of the test wasn’t given.” [Wall Street Journal, 3/14/16]

THE TRUTH: WASHINGTON REPUBLICANS ARE SPENDING MILLIONS TO PROP UP CONGRESSMAN HECK AFTER HE VOTED NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN WITH HIS PARTY BOSSES

Outside Groups Linked To The Koch Brothers And Mitch McConnell Have Already Spent Nearly $10 Million On Heck. “In the race to replace retiring Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), groups supporting Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev.) spent $9.8 million compared to $2.5 million for those in support of former Lt. Gov. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). […]The top spenders in all of these races are the same. On the Republican side, support comes from groups connected to the billionaire Koch brothers ― including Freedom Partners Action Fund, Americans for Prosperity and Concerned Veterans for America ― as well as from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and One Nation, a nonprofit group connected to both Karl Rove and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).” [Huffington Post, 7/13/16]

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Heck Received A “Big Boost” With Ads From A Dark Money Groups. “U.S. Senate candidate and Rep. Joe Heck is getting a big boost from One Nation, a nonprofit group with ties to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. One Nation has launched a $792,000 ad buy that will run on Las Vegas TV and radio stations. The 30-second clip will run for 20 days, the group said in a press release Thursday.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 10/22/15]

Heck Has Voted With His Party 90 Percent Of The Time. According to CQ, Heck voted with his party 87% of the time in 2014, 93% of the time in 2013, 89% of the time in 2012, and 90% of the time in 2011. [CQ Vote Studies, Accessed 5/18/16]

Roll Call: Heck Was On The “Good Side” Of The More Conservative Wing Of The Republican Party. “Heck has managed to stay on the good side of the more conservative wing of the Republican Party, which could help him fend off a serious primary challenge from the right. Republicans hope to avoid the situation they faced in 2010, when a crowded, messy primary resulted in the nomination of Sharron Angle, a flawed and gaffe-prone candidate who lost what was seen as a winnable race against Reid.” [Roll Call, 5/11/15]

MSNBC: Heck Voted For A “Far Right” Budget Scraping Medicare, Opposed Minimum Wage Increases, Was A Staunch Opponent Of Reproductive Rights, And Called Social Security A Pyramid Scheme. “Republican Rep. Joe Heck is a prominent U.S. Senate candidate in Nevada, and at first blush, the conservative congressman, running for an open seat, appears to be well positioned. Nevada is a fast-growing swing state with a diverse population, and Heck has previously won with fairly broad support. But it won’t be easy. Heck voted for a far-right budget plan that tried to scrap Medicare; he’s opposed minimum-wage increases; the GOP candidate is a staunch opponent of reproductive rights; and he’s even condemned Social Security as a pyramid scheme.” [MSNBC, 9/2/15]

GOP Strategy To Politicize Iran Deal Largely Relies On The Agreement “Failing Spectacularly.” “Republicans are plotting to make Democrats pay dearly for backing an agreement the GOP argues hinges on an historic enemy of the United States playing nice. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to return to the floor next week to force Democrats to take more votes Republicans say they’ll regret as soon as Iran violates the terms of the deal or sponsors terrorist attacks, which critics believe is just a matter of time. After that will come the attack ads, national GOP officials say. It’s expected to be a key cog of Republicans’ electoral strategy: some GOP senators are already comparing it to Obamacare in its scope and potential to damage Democratic supporters politically. […] But the GOP strategy largely relies on the Iran agreement failing spectacularly. Democrats acknowledge they cast a risky vote but say that Republicans almost seem to be hoping for something bad to happen in order to reap the political benefits.” [Politico, 9/10/15]

Republicans Have Brought Their Unprecedented Tactics Of Obstructionism And Sabotage To Foreign Policy. “Throughout Barack Obama’s presidency, Republicans in Congress have deployed a strategy that has worked remarkably well for them: oppose, obstruct, and sabotage the Obama administration at every turn. ‘The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president,’ Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, then the Senate minority leader, said in 2010. A few months later, McConnell acknowledged that Republicans had decided to deny President Obama any bipartisan support, not because they necessarily opposed each and every initiative, but to hurt Obama politically. ‘We worked very hard to keep our fingerprints off of these proposals,’ he said. ‘Because we thought — correctly, I think — that the only way the American people would know that a great debate was going on was if the measures were not bipartisan.’ This strategy led Republicans to adopt largely unprecedented tactics of obstructionism and sabotage. But no matter how far they went, there was one line they always avoided crossing: undermining US foreign policy.” [Vox, 3/9/15]

GOP Iran Letter Was An Unprecedented Congressional Meddling In The President’s Foreign Policy. “Democrats say there’s an opportunity for them, too, to make something of what they call the GOP’s reflexive opposition to the agreement. They also point out that GOP incumbents running for reelection signed on to a controversial letter to Iranian leadership earlier this year that was seen as unprecedented congressional meddling in the president’s foreign policy.” [Politico, 9/10/15]

Las Vegas, NV – Another day, another out-of-state special interest group propping up Congressman Heck’s campaign with lies about Catherine Cortez Masto. Last night, it was reported that Washington Republicans are running yet another ad that lies about Catherine Cortez Masto’s record while ignoring Congressman Heck’s own record of putting partisan politics ahead of Nevadans’ safety

The truth is: crime went down during the eight years Cortez Masto was Attorney General.Nevada law enforcement is supporting Cortez Masto because she has a proven record of solving problems and working with law enforcement to keep Nevada communities safe

“Nevada cops support Catherine Cortez Masto because unlike Congressman Heck, she has consistently put the safety of Nevadans ahead of partisan politics,” said Zach Hudson, spokesperson for Catherine Cortez Masto for Senate. “The facts are clear: while Catherine Cortez Masto was prosecuting criminals, Congressman Heck was voting against more funding for Nevada cops. Washington Republicans are lying about Catherine’s record to distract from Congressman Heck threatening the safety of Nevadans by voting against more funding for Nevada law enforcement.

In March, Cortez Masto was endorsed by the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers (NAPSO), the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the Peace Officers Research of Nevada (PORAN), the Washoe County Sheriff Deputies Association, and the Southern Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs (SNCOPS) in her campaign for Senate. SNCOPS consists of: the Henderson Police Supervisors Association (HPSA), the Las Vegas Peace Officers Association (LVPOA), the Las Vegas Police Protective Association (LVPPA), and the Las Vegas Police Managers and Supervisors Association (LVPMSA). This was the first time in Nevada history the organizations came together with one unanimous endorsement.

View the facts about this blatantly false ad below:

NRSC AD “WHO” – PUSHBACK 8/2/16

Voiceover: Who do you trust to keep your family safe?

FACT: LAW ENFORCEMENT UNIONS THAT ENCOMPASS ALMOST EVERY PEACE OFFICER IN NEVADA UNANIMOUSLY ENDORSED CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO FOR SENATE…

Coalition Of Nevada Law Enforcement Unions Endorsed Cortez Masto For U.S. Senate. “A coalition of Nevada law enforcement unions is announcing support for Democratic Senate candidate Catherine Cortez Masto. Cortez Masto’s campaign announced endorsements Wednesday from the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers, Peace Officers Research of Nevada, the Fraternal Order of Police and the Southern Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs. The latter group includes the Las Vegas Police Protective Association and organizations representing Henderson and Las Vegas police supervisors.” [Associated Press,3/2/16]

The Law Enforcement Unions Cited Cortez Masto’s Work To Fight Human Trafficking And Support For Funding More Police Officers As Reasons For The Endorsement. “Cortez Masto’s previous job as Nevada’s attorney general involved frequent work with law enforcement. Representatives from the unions cited her initiatives to fight human trafficking and her support of funding more police hires as reasons for the endorsement.” [Associated Press, 3/2/16]

Cortez Masto Picked Up Support From Nevada Police Unions.“Former state Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D) picked up endorsements from the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Peace Officers Reserve of Nevada, and the Southern Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs Wednesday.” [National Journal, 3/3/16]

…BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT AS ATTORNEY GENERAL, CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO FOUGHT TO KEEP NEVADANS SAFE AND BRING CRIMINALS TO JUSTICE

Fox News: Cortez Masto “Dedicated Herself To Fighting Sex Trafficking In Our State.” In February 2015, Fox News In The Morning reported, “Catherine Cortez Masto. Former Nevada Attorney General. Dedicated herself to fighting sex trafficking in our state. ‘The numbers that we’ve seen in our state, when these kids come through, 60 percent of them are our own. They’re homegrown.’ she decided it’s time to do more to hold the perpetrators accountable.” [KVVU, 2/19/15]

AG Cortez Masto Sponsored And Pushed For Legislation To Combat Child Sex Trafficking In Nevada. According to an article by Alex Pompliano of the Nevada Media Alliance, “Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and other supports of the bill will join Sandoval as he signs AB67 into law. The bill establishes the crime of sex trafficking of children and adults, and makes victims eligible for state assistance and allows them to sue their traffickers. By doing so, the bill holds pimps accountable and protects the victims of sex trafficking. Cortez Masto, a primary proponent of the bill, says bills passed this year by the Legislature will serve as a springboard for more anti-trafficking measures in future years.” [Carson Now, 6/6/13]

Cortez Masto’s Bill Created New Tools For Law Enforcement To Stop Sex Trafficking And Gave More Recourse For Victims Of Sex Trafficking. According to a press release posted on the Mesquite Citizen website, “The bill was approved by unanimous votes of both houses of the legislature. The bill will now be sent to Governor Brian Sandoval’s for final approval. A public signing with Gov. Sandoval will take place. Background on AB 67: Changes the current pandering statute to the sex trafficking statute. The federal definition of sex trafficking will be used to increase penalties by one sentencing level. Creates law enforcement tools for racketeering, conspiracy, and wiretapping. Those convicted would have to register as a sex offender, and their assets will be seized, liquidated and provided as relief to the victims. Restitution will be mandatory with the ability to bring a civil cause of action. The prosecution will be allowed to preserve the victim’s testimony for trial.” [Mesquite Citizen, 6/3/13]

Cortez Masto Strengthened Laws To Protect Kids From Predators: “In My Office, We Actually Are The Investigators And Prosecutors. We Are The Ones Who Lure The Predators So They Are Not Preying On Our Kids.” “Masto’s work has resulted in new laws strengthening the registration and notification requirements of convicted sex offenders and preventing a person from luring someone believed to be a child. During her presentation the attorney general told the students how her office works to get the ‘bad guys’ each day. ‘It’s happening here and every community in our state. In my office, we actually are the investigators and prosecutors. We are the ones who lure the predators so they are not preying on our kids. We have laws that allow us to pretend we are the 12-year-old so that we can lure those predators. We have seen horrific cases here in Nevada and we want to make sure our kids are protected and they don’t become that next statistic,’ she said.” [Pahrump Valley Times, 3/21/14]

Cortez Masto Often Visited Schools To Discuss Internet Dangers With Children. “Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said she often visits schools to discuss the dangers of technology, especially on the Internet, where children might trust strangers and sometimes hide activity from parents. When Cortez Masto walks into a sixth-grade classroom, she said almost all students raise their hands when asked whether they own a cell phone, belong to a social network, play video games with strangers and share photographs online. ‘This is at the sixth grade,’ she said. ‘The technology these kids use have become an extension of their being.’” [Las Vegas Sun, 8/2/10]

As Attorney General, Cortez Masto Visited All 17 Counties To Help Nevadans Address Domestic Violence, Sex Trafficking, Home Foreclosures, And Prescription Drug Use. “As attorney general, Cortez Masto visited all 17 counties to help Nevadans with their problems, from domestic violence and sex trafficking to home foreclosures and prescription drug abuse, which is just as prevalent in the rurals as it is in urban Las Vegas and Reno.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 4/30/15]

Cortez Masto Spent Eight Years As Attorney General Working In A Bipartisan Manner To Fight Sex Trafficking, Sex Offenders, And Protect Seniors. “After five terms in the U.S. Senate, Harry Reid is leaving behind some pretty big shoes to fill. And so far there are three candidates hoping to do that. Of course the Democratic Party wants to see that seat stay blue. The Reid Machine is fully behind Catherine Cortez Masto, who spent 8 years as our Attorney General. There she fought sex trafficking, sex offenders and to protect senior citizens. She says bipartisanship politics is the key. ‘These are all areas I have a proven record of working on in a bipartisan manner. It is about building partnerships and coalitions. That’s what we need in Washington and I have a proven record to show I can do it,’ Cortez Masto said during a recent interview.” [KTVN, 2/1/16]

Cortez Masto Said She Isn’t Concerned With Polls Or Pundits, She Wants To Talk With Nevadans About The Issues, Find Out What’s Important To Them, And Fight On Behalf Of Nevada. “Cortez Masto is not concerned about polls or pundits that call the race a toss-up. ‘Right now my focus is just on this race, it’s on getting out and talking to people about the issues,’ she said after the forum. ‘I came out early and rolled out my campaign on April 8 just for that reason. I wanted to make sure I was getting around the state, similar to what I did when I was attorney general, and continue to talk about the issues, to learn what’s important to them and the things that I want to fight for on their behalf.’” [Record-Courier, 8/14/15]

Cortez Masto: Nevada Needs A U.S. Senator Who Is Going To Work For The Best Interests Of The State. “Cortez Masto reached her term limit as attorney general last year and set her sights on another goal. ‘I have worked very hard on behalf of the state — on behalf of people, women, children, seniors — fighting on their behalf for businesses so that they can continue to grow. And that’s what we need in this state, somebody who is going to work on behalf of the best interests of this state as a United States senator.’” [Record-Courier, 8/14/15]

Voiceover: In Catherine Cortez Masto’s last term as Attorney General, Nevada murder went up 11 percent. Robbery went up 28 percent. Rape 51 percent.

From 2007 To 2014,The Total Index Offenses Index Declined From 116,814 To 92,376. [2014 Crime in Nevada, Total Index Crimes In Nevada for Past Decade (2005 to 2014), p.55 Accessed 8/1/16]

From 2007 To 2014,The Murder Index Declined From 194 To 168. [2014 Crime in Nevada, Total Index Crimes In Nevada for Past Decade (2005 to 2014), p.55 Accessed 8/1/16]

From 2007 To 2014,The Robbery Index Declined From 6,932 To 5,951. [2014 Crime in Nevada, Total Index Crimes In Nevada for Past Decade (2005 to 2014), p.55 Accessed 8/1/16]

From 2007 To 2014,The Aggregated Assault Index Declined From 11,039 To 10,466. [2014 Crime in Nevada, Total Index Crimes In Nevada for Past Decade (2005 to 2014), p.55 Accessed 8/1/16]

From 2007 To 2014,The Burglary Index Declined From 24,839 To 21,787. [2014 Crime in Nevada, Total Index Crimes In Nevada for Past Decade (2005 to 2014), p.55 Accessed 8/1/16]

From 2007 To 2014,The Larceny Index Declined From 49,744 To 42,122.[2014 Crime in Nevada, Total Index Crimes In Nevada for Past Decade (2005 to 2014), p.55 Accessed 8/1/16]

From 2007 To 2014,The Motor Vehicle Theft Index Declined From 22,333 To 10,128. [2014 Crime in Nevada, Total Index Crimes In Nevada for Past Decade (2005 to 2014), p.55 Accessed8/1/16]

From 2007 To 2014,The Arson Index Declined From 639 To 403. [2014 Crime in Nevada, Total Index Crimes In Nevada for Past Decade (2005 to 2014), p.55 Accessed 8/1/16]

Crime Rates Are Volatile From Year To Year, When Considering Crime Rates Look At Averages To Filter Out Noise. “Trump is right that 2015 saw a crime increase. But not only was it tiny, it hasn’t come close to reversing the spectacular decline of the past two decades. Murders rose in many cities, but individual cities’ crime rates are like the performance of individual stocks — they’re more volatile, year to year, than the overall average. Violent crime in general was up only 1.7 percent in 2015. As in investing, we diversify to reduce risk — similarly, when considering crime rates, we should look at averages to filter out the noise.” [Bloomberg, 8/1/16]

REALITY: IT’S RICH THAT HECK’S WASHINGTON ALLIES WOULD ATTACK CORTEZ MASTO ON CRIME, WHEN HECK HAS VOTED MULTIPLE TIMES AGAINST MORE FUNDING FOR COPS AND RESOURCES TO PROSECUTE CRIMES

Heck Voted Against AB 461 That Ensured Clark County Used The MORE COPS Tax To Hire More Police And Allowed Nye County To Impose A Half-Percent Sales Tax In Order To Hire More Police And Firefighters. According to the Legislative Counsel’s Digest of AB 461, “The Clark County Sales and Use Tax Act of 2005 authorized the Board of County Commissioners of Clark County to impose up to one-half of 1 percent sales and use tax to employ and equip additional police officers for various police departments in Clark County. Section 1 of this bill adds a requirement that any governmental entity that authorizes expenditures from the tax revenues for a police department must submit periodic reports to the Legislature concerning the use of that money, and authorizes the Legislative Commission to review and investigate those expenditures. Sections 3-22 of this bill are modeled on the provisions of the Clark County Sales and Use Tax Act of 2005, and authorize the Board of County Commissioners of Nye County to impose an additional sales tax of up to one-half of 1 percent for the purposes of recruiting, employing and equipping additional firefighters, deputy sheriffs and other public safety personnel and constructing, improving and equipping public safety facilities in Nye County. Any proposed change in the use of the proceeds of the tax must be submitted to the voters and be approved by the Legislature. Section 17.5 of this bill contains requirements identical to those in section 1 of this bill concerning reporting of expenditures of the tax revenues and the review and investigation of those expenditures.” Heck Voted Against The Bill. [AB 461, LCB Digest; Senate Floor Vote, 5/25/07]

Heck Voted Against $3 Million For COPS Program, $1 Million For Violence Against Women Prevention And Prosecution Programs, And Grants To Address Backlogs Of Sexual Assault Kits. In May 2014, Heck voted against a: “Moore, D-WI, motion to recommit the bill to the House Appropriations Committee and report it back immediately with an amendment which would increase by $1 million each, funds provided in the bill for Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution programs, grants to combat violence against women, State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance and grants to address backlogs of sexual assault kits. It would increase by $3 million each, funds provided in the bill for Community Oriented Policing Services and for hiring under this program.” The motion was rejected by a 185-220 vote. [CQ, 5/30/14; motion to recommit H.R. 4660, Vote 268, 5/30/14]

Heck Voted Against Increasing Funds By $20.5 Million For Programs That Aid In The Prevention And Prosecution Of Acts Of Violence Against Women. In May 2012, Heck voted against a: “Nadler, D-N.Y., motion to recommit the bill to the House Appropriations Committee and report it back immediately with an amendment that would increase by $20.5 million the amount provided in the bill for programs that aid in the prevention and prosecution of acts of violence against women. It would reduce by the same amount general administrative funding for the Commerce and Justice departments and the Office of Science and Technology.” The motion was rejected by a 181-233 vote. [CQ, 5/10/12; motion to recommit H.R. 5326, Vote 248,5/10/12]

Heck Voted Against Providing An Additional $3 Million For The Violence Against Women Prevention And Prosecution Programs And $3 Million For The Juvenile Justice Programs. In June 2015, Heck voted against the: “Brownley, D-CA, motion to recommit the bill to the House Appropriations Committee with instructions to report back immediately with an amendment that would provide an additional $3 million for sexual assault victims assistance within the Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution Programs account and an additional $3 million for missing and exploited children programs in the Juvenile Justice Programs account. It would decrease funding for the Justice Information Technology Account by $6 million.” The motion was rejected by a vote of 184-240. [CQ, 6/3/15; H.R. 2578, Vote 296,6/3/15]

FACT: CORTEZ MASTO LED THE CHARGE TO ADDRESS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN NEVADA

Elko Daily Free Press Editorial: Cortez Masto Led The Fight To Combat Domestic Violence And Left Behind A Legacy We Hope Others Follow. In January 2015, the Elko Daily Free Press editorial board wrote, “Before she left office, Catherine Cortez Masto released information to combat domestic violence in the state, which is something she battled throughout her time as attorney general. While she is no longer the state’s chief law enforcement officer, she has left behind a legacy we hope others follow. She led the way against domestic violence through the Nevada Council for the Prevention of Domestic Violence. The NCPDV’s mission is to combat domestic violence through awareness, legislation and the support of agencies involved in the fight against domestic violence, according to the AG’s office.” [Elko Daily Free Press, Editorial, 1/13/15]

Elko Daily Free Press:“Cortez Masto Has Been A Leading State Figure In The Fight Against Domestic Violence.”“Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto has been a leading state figure in the fight against domestic violence and is a member of Nevada’s domestic violence fatality review team, which releases its latest findings today. ‘Unfortunately for Nevada, we have been the leader, number one in the nation for the number of women who are murdered per capita by men with handguns. A majority of them are intimate relationships,’ Masto said. Washoe and Clark counties each have a domestic violence fatality review team, but domestic violence homicides aren’t limited to the state’s urban areas. ‘In the State of Nevada, domestic violence issues unfortunately exist in every community,’ Masto added.” [Elko Daily Free Press, 4/25/13]

Cortez Masto Focused On Domestic Violence Prevention In Nevada For Years And Fought For More State & Federal Funding For Victims. “‘People should understand that domestic violence crosses socioeconomic backgrounds, it could happen in any family and it could happen to anyone,’ explains Catherine Cortez Masto, former Nevada Attorney General. Cortez Masto focused on domestic violence prevention in Nevada for years and she says it comes down to educating the community in order to gain more support, ‘It is a lack of resources, not only do we have a lack of state funding we have a lack of federal funding. There is only so much that goes around to help individuals who are dealing with a domestic violence situation.’” [KRNV, 10/29/15]

Sparks Tribune: Cortez Masto Led The Charge To Address And Combat Rising Violence Against Women. “The Nevada Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team (DVFRT) held its inaugural meeting on Thursday to address and combat rising violence against women, with Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto leading the charge. The Silver State leads the nation in the per capita number of women murdered as a result of domestic violence, a trend that for years has plagued urban areas such as Reno and Las Vegas, as well as rural areas such as Elko County and, particularly, in Native American communities. ‘It exists in every community in our state,’ Masto said. ‘Nobody escapes it.’ The state Legislature, at Masto’s behest, created the DVFRT last year and authorized a multi-disciplinary team comprised of prosecutors, police, domestic violence service providers, treatment providers and community and faith leaders to review the deaths of domestic violence victims.” [Daily Sparks Tribune, 1/12/12]

Cortez Masto Addressed Domestic Violence With Boy & Girl Scouts, And Her AG’s Office Help Create A Merit Badge Called “Peace Begins At Home.” “Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez-Masto will address domestic violence when nearly 300 Boy Scouts gather Saturday for a Merit Badge Fair at Clayton Middle School in northwest Reno. Cortez-Masto’s office has worked with the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to create a merit badge called ‘Peace Begins at Home,’ which teaches Scouts what to do if they see signs of abuse. ‘When I was running for attorney general, I named domestic violence and sexual assault as two of the top priorities for my office,’ Cortez-Masto said in a recent speech. ‘They still are, and we are actively working to raise awareness of the issues, ensure victim safety and improve offender accountability.’ She said more than 36,000 victims, including 16,000 children, in Nevada contacted agencies for assistance in 2010.” [Reno Gazette-Journal, 3/25/11]

Cortez Masto Was The Chair Of The Nevada Council For The Prevention Of Domestic Violence. According to an article by Dave Maxwell of the Lincoln County Recorder, “State Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto chaired the quarterly meeting of the Nevada Council for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (NCPDV) Aug. 1 at the Rapport Executive Leadership Retreat facility in Alamo. The public was invited to attend. Cortez Masto said, ‘Domestic violence exists in every community in the state, and Nevada leads the nation, per capita, in the number of women who are murdered each year as a result of domestic violence.’” [Lincoln County Recorder, 8/12/13]

Cortez Masto Ran For Attorney General To Address Issues, Including Domestic Violence, And Chaired Nevada’s Domestic Violence Prevention Council. “Masto, a native Nevadan, said she ran for Nevada attorney general because she saw so many issues that needed to be addressed at the state level. She took the oath of office in January 2007 for her first term and was sworn in Jan. 3, 2011, for her second term. Another issue facing the state is domestic violence, which impacts women and children as well as animals. Masto chairs the Domestic Violence Prevention Council. ‘Nevada leads the nation in the number of women murdered through domestic violence. My office has put together a Fatality Review Team and we have a prosecutor on staff. There is a need to understand what is means to be a domestic violence victim. It includes a cycle of violence and is a control issue,’ she said.” [Lake Tahoe News, 3/28/11]

Cortez Masto: Survivors Provide An Important Voice On State Committee For Domestic Violence. “Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto is inviting former victims of domestic violence to apply for a vacant position on the state Committee on Domestic Violence. Masto says survivors provide an important voice for the nine-member committee. It oversees treatment programs for people who commit domestic violence. Members include a mental health professional, law enforcer, prosecutor, advocate, judge and domestic violence victims and survivors.” [Associated Press, 5/7/14]

AG Cortez Masto Testified In Support Of SB 14 That Would Increase Marriage License Fee From $20 To $25 To Fund Programs That Combat Domestic Violence. “Half of all Clark County homicides are related to domestic violence, Attorney General Catherine Masto told a legislative committee Monday. Masto was testifying before the Senate Finance Committee in support of a bill to raise the marriage license fee to fund programs to combat domestic violence. Senate Bill 14 would boost the marriage license fee from $20 to $25. The cost of a license now is $55, of which $20 of that goes to domestic violence programs that provide shelter, hot lines and support groups.” [Las Vegas Sun,3/9/09]

Cortez Masto: Safety Is Enhanced When Individuals Have Access To Hotlines, Shelters, Support Groups And The Variety Of Services Available Through Local Programs. “As the State’s leading law enforcement agency, we have been instrumental in development of law enforcement protocols and training curriculum and have worked with prosecutors and courts to identify barriers. There are many barriers to be addressed. They include safety for domestic violence victims and accountability for their offenders. Safety is enhanced when individuals have access to hotlines, shelters, support groups and the variety of services available through local programs.” [Senate Finance Committee Minutes, 3/9/09]

Nevada Received About $1.25 Million For STOP Officer Training And Nearly $250,000 For Sexual Assault Victim Service Providers.In February 2014, Cortez Masto press release stated, “Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto announces the awarding of $1,265,124 in Services Training Officers Prosecution (STOP) Violence Against Women Formula Grant funding and $247,954 in Sexual Assault Service Provider Formula Grant funding (SASP) for Calendar Year 2014. ‘We are excited to financially back the agencies that do so much for our community and provide services to victims of sexual and domestic violence,’ said Masto. Forty-seven agencies received grant awards to fund services provided to victims of sexual and domestic violence, as well as law enforcement and prosecution efforts to combat domestic violence and court compliance projects throughout Nev. A list of the STOP and SASP grantees is available on our website, ag.nv.gov.” [Nevada Attorney General press release, 2/14/14]

AG Cortez Masto’s Office Received $167,000 Grant From Sexual Assault Service Providers Program. “The Department of Justice has awarded the Nevada Attorney general’s Office a $167,371 grant from the Sexual Assault Service Providers grant Program (SASP.) This is the second grant the Nevada Attorney general’s Office has received for SASP. SASP directs grant dollars to States and Territories to assist in supporting rape crisis centers and other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that provide core services, direct intervention and related assistance to victims of sexual assault. ‘These grant dollars are directed to those organizations and agencies dealing with victims of sexual assault,’ said Attorney general Catherine Cortez Masto. ‘These vital services are often underfunded and the Federal dollars will help these organizations in their important work.’ SASP is the first Federal funding stream solely dedicated to the provision of direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. Five funding streams are directed toward States and Territories; tribes; state sexual assault coalitions; tribal sexual assault coalitions; and culturally specific organizations.” [Comstock Chronicle, 11/5/10]

Cortez Masto Awarded Funds To Domestic Violence And Abuse Crisis Centers Across The State. “In September the Office of the Attorney general awarded funds from the initial 2009 SASP grant of $239,352 to Nye County’s no to Abuse; Washoe County’s HAWC Community Health Center; Clark County’s Community Counseling Center of Southern Nevada and The Shade Tree; Humboldt County’s Winnemucca Domestic Violence Shelter; and the Family Support Council of Douglas County. Other agencies that will also receive funds from this initial grant beginning January 2011 are the Crisis Call Center, the Rape Crisis Center, the Domestic Violence Intervention of Churchill County and AlIVE of Lyon County. Solicitation for next year’s cycle of SASP subgrant applications which will reflect the $167,371 funding will be advertised in late 2011 with awards to be granted for 2012. Nevada’s SASP grant awards will be administered and overseen by the Office of the Attorney general.” [Comstock Chronicle, 11/5/10]

AG Cortez Masto’s Office Received $1.5 Million STOP Violence Against Women Grant For Law Enforcement, Prosecution, Victim Services And Courts. “The Nevada state attorney general’s office says it has received a nearly $1.5 million federal Justice Department grant for STOP Violence Against Women programs. Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said in a statement that sub-grants will be awarded by the end of the year in categories including law enforcement, prosecution, victim services and courts. Federal pass-through grants to the states were authorized by Congress in the Violence Against Women Act of 2005. Masto says the program aims to identify and support programs to reduce violent crimes against women and to bolster services for victims. Recipients are required to submit financial, administrative and program reports to the government to maintain grant funding.” [Associated Press, 10/27/10]

AG Cortez Masto Allotted $1.2 Million In Recovery Act Funds To STOP Violence Against Women Programs. “More than two dozen agencies across Nevada will receive more than $1.2 million for programs to reduce violence against women. Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said Tuesday the money under the Recovery Act STOP violence Against Women grant program will create or retain the equivalent of 17.5 full-time positions in 28 agencies in the state. Nevada has been allotted economic stimulus funds for programs that meet federal and state objectives of the grant program. The attorney general’s office will administer the grant money to Nevada programs. The STOP Violence Against Women Program encourages the development of ways to combat violent crimes against women.” [Associated Press, 6/30/09]

AG Cortez Masto Announced $12,000 STOP Grant For Sparks City Attorney Office Victim Advocate Program To Support Prosecution Of Domestic Violence And DUIs. “Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto will formally announce the award of $12,000 to the Victim Advocate’s program for the Sparks City Attorney’s Office at 3 p.m. Friday in Sparks City Council chambers at 745 4th St. The award is part of the Attorney General’s S.T.O.P. (Service, Training, Officers, Prosecution) Grant Program, intended to provide support and recognition to Nevada’s victims of domestic violence, as well as assisting in the prosecution of those who commit crimes of domestic violence. The S.T.O.P. Grant is part of the Sparks city attorney’s efforts to combat recent budget cuts by securing alternate funding sources to support the city’s prosecution of domestic violence crimes and DUIs. ‘Our successful prosecution of domestic violence crimes is three times higher than the national average. I refuse to allow this extremely effective program from being lost because of budget cuts,’ Sparks City Attorney Chet Adams said.” [Reno Gazette-Journal, 8/7/08]

Cortez Masto Loaned Prosecutor To Nye County To Combat Domestic And Sexual Assault Cases With VAWA Grant. “The Nye County District Attorney’s Office welcomed a new prosecutor into the fold. The addition helps ease the caseload of the office’s already stretched staff. Deputy Attorney General Ross Armstrong will serve as a tri-county prosecutor in Nye, Mineral and Esmeralda counties. Nye County District Attorney Brian Kunzi said Armstrong’s tenure is being funded by a grant. ‘The attorney general actually has a grant called the ‘Violence Against Women Act,’’ he said, referring to the program that was used to bring in Armstrong. […] In a press release, Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said prosecuting domestic and sexual assault cases is a huge priority in Nevada. ‘The goal of this project is to deliver the message to potential perpetrators in Esmeralda, Mineral and Nye counties that domestic violence and sexual assault will not be tolerated,’ she said.” [Pahrump Valley Times, 9/7/11]

AG Cortez Masto Said She Would Help Find Family Practice Lawyers To Help Elko Victims Of Abusive Husbands. “Nevada state Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto says she’ll help try to find family practice lawyers in northeast Nevada willing to donate time to help domestic violence victims divorce abusive husbands. Masto said Thursday during a Nevada Council for the Prevention of Domestic Violence meeting in Elko that the need for lawyers to help victims should be brought up at a family law conference. Elko-based Committee Against Domestic Violence staff member Pam Lansford told the panel there aren’t any pro bono divorce attorneys in Elko County willing to work free or on sliding fee scale. Lansford says stay-at-home mothers are often at a disadvantage in divorces because they don’t have money, while abusive husbands who work can hire lawyers.” [Associated Press, 7/16/10]

AG Cortez Masto Planned To Find Solution To Need For Elko Lawyers To Fight Domestic Abuse. “Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said Thursday she plans to look for a solution to Elko’s lack of family practice lawyers willing to help domestic violence victims divorce their abusers. ‘This was the first time I had heard about the lack of family law attorneys. I will reach out to the family section of the state bar,’ she said after chairing a meeting in Elko on domestic violence. She said the Nevada Council for the Prevention of Domestic Violence comes to rural communities once a year to hear about their issues, which usually center on lack of funding and lack of professionals. ‘Once we know about issues, we can find solutions,’ Cortez Masto said.” [Elko Daily Free Press, 7/15/10]

FACT: CORTEZ MASTO’S OFFICE FUNDED WEST WENDOVER VICTIM ADVOCATE

Cortez Masto’s AG Office Provided $46,000 Per Year Grant To West Wendover Victim Advocate. “The council also held a town meeting Wednesday in West Wendover, and Cortez Masto said there was a good turnout. Kareen Prentice, domestic violence ombudsman for the attorney general’s office, said West Wendover is receiving a grant for a victim advocate. The grant is $46,900 a year for two years. Along other lines, the council agreed Thursday to seek legislation to change the law creating the council to state that its focus covers sexual assault, as well as domestic violence. ‘We’re just adding what we already do,’ Cortez Masto said.” [Elko Daily Free Press, 7/15/10]

FACT: CORTEZ MASTO’S OFFICE DEVELOPED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

AG Cortez Masto’s Office Developed Training Program To Help Police Officers Investigate Domestic Violence Offenses. “Nevada has developed a training program to help officers investigate domestic violence offenses. Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said the training program, which will be distributed to law enforcement agencies across the state, is one of two new programs Nevada has begun to provide more assistance to victims of domestic violence. One program will assist law enforcement with training, and the other will help Nevada prosecutors in handling domestic violence cases. The key is coordination among law enforcement, prosecutors, victim advocates and treatment providers to help the victims and stop the cycle of violence, said the attorney general. The Attorney General’s Office will distribute 300 training disks to law enforcement agencies in Nevada The attorney general and the Nevada Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training developed the CD, entitled ‘Domestic Violence & Elder Abuse Investigations.’” [Crime Control Digest, 10/26/07]

Cortez Masto’s AG Office Produced Training Programs For Law Enforcement And Prosecutors Handling Domestic Violence Cases.“Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto announced two new programs aimed at helping domestic violence victims in Nevada, which leads the nation in the number of domestic violence deaths per capita in 2005. Cortez Masto said Thursday that one program will assist law enforcement with training and that the other will help Nevada prosecutors in handling domestic violence cases. ‘We should be doing so much more and so much better for Nevada’s families,’ Cortez Masto said, adding that the key is coordination among law enforcement, prosecutors, victim advocates and treatment providers. Law enforcement will be helped with an interactive training CD called ‘Domestic Violence & Elder Abuse Investigations.’ The CD was put together by the attorney general’s office, the Nevada Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards Training, or POST, and various agencies and groups within the city of Henderson. The 300 training discs will be used by more than 16,000 law enforcement officials across the state.” [Associated Press, 10/5/07]

Voiceover: Catherine Cortez Masto couldn’t keep us safe in Nevada, why would we trust her to do it in Washington?

FACT:AS ATTORNEY GENERAL, CORTEZ MASTO WAS THE LEADING FORCE THAT PASSED TOUGH LAWS THAT INCREASED PRISON TIME FOR PIMPS AND PREDATORS

AG Cortez Masto Sponsored And Pushed For Legislation To Combat Child Sex Trafficking In Nevada. According to an article by Alex Pompliano of the Nevada Media Alliance, “Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and other supports of the bill will join Sandoval as he signs AB67 into law. The bill establishes the crime of sex trafficking of children and adults, and makes victims eligible for state assistance and allows them to sue their traffickers. By doing so, the bill holds pimps accountable and protects the victims of sex trafficking. Cortez Masto, a primary proponent of the bill, says bills passed this year by the Legislature will serve as a springboard for more anti-trafficking measures in future years.” [Carson Now, 6/6/13]

Las Vegas Sun: Cortez Masto Championed Law That Increased Penalties For Sex Trafficking Law As It Was Working Its Way Through The Legislature. “The new law ups the penalty for sex trafficking to put it on the same level as the state’s sexual assault laws, disallows probation for people convicted of sex trafficking, allows courts to order those convicted to pay restitution to victims and requires a person convicted of sex trafficking register as a Tier 1 sex offender, among other provisions. […] Masto championed the bill while it was working its way through the Legislature. The law went into effect in July. In the news release about the indictment, Masto said her office will use every law enforcement tool available to prosecute sex trafficking cases to the fullest extent of the law.” [Las Vegas Sun, 11/22/13]

AG Cortez Masto’s Involvement With The Sex Trafficking Legislation “Marked A Turning Point” As A Cortez Masto Aide Pulled Together AB 67 Toughening Penalties On Pimps As An Omnibus Bill. “This event marked a turning point. The huge turnout, which included people from various backgrounds and both political parties, indicated that a serious effort to combat child sex trafficking was not only the right thing to do; it might also be politically feasible. Attorney General Masto assigned her top aide, Michon Martin, to scour other states for model legislation, then pulled together a task force that drafted a groundbreaking omnibus bill—Assembly Bill 67, which defined sex trafficking in Nevada as a crime, sharply ramped up penalties for pimps, gave law enforcement new resources for tracking and prosecuting offenders, and redefined children working in the sex trade as victims rather than as criminals.” [Commonweal Magazine,9/9/15]

After A Full-Scale Lobbying Effort, Anti-Sex Trafficking Bill Passed Unanimously On The Last Day Of The Legislation Session In 2013. “NCG leaders took their case to anyone who would listen. They met with their legislators, key committee heads, prominent gaming-industry executives, local public officials, and key social service agencies like the Salvation Army. They spoke to reporters, sent thousands of emails and postcards, and worked the phones. Finally, they dispatched busloads of committed activists to the state capital, Carson City, to press for passage of AB 67. On the last day of the legislative session, the bill passed unanimously. For once, the voices of ordinary Nevada citizens had prevailed.” [Commonweal Magazine, 9/9/15]

Exploitation Of Children Became Class A Felony With Maximum Life Sentence, Trafficking An Adult Became Class B Felony With Three-To-10-Year Sentence. “The passage of Assembly Bill 67 will help law enforcement, Chalmers said. ‘I am extremely proud of the collaborative work of supporters, stakeholders and elected officials that went into this law,’ Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, sponsor of the bill, said in an email. ‘I remain committed to the fight against this rapidly growing crime that deprives children and young adults of their human rights.’ The new law, which went into effect on July 1, made trafficking an adult a category B felony that carries a three-to-10-year sentence. Exploitation of a child is now a category A felony that carries a maximum life sentence. Parole eligibility for those cases depends on how young the victim is.” [Reno Gazette-Journal, 7/21/13]

Nevada Bureau Of Criminal Justice Head: Before AB 67 Traffickers Were Fined And Released. With The New Law, Offenders Will Face Life In Prison. “Sex trafficking is a real problem throughout Nevada, said Russell Smith, chief deputy attorney for the Nevada Bureau of Criminal Justice. ‘As long as there is a demand, there will be a supply,’ Smith told the Nevada Community Prevention Coalition (NCPC) this week while discussing human and sex trafficking. […] Assembly Bill 67, passed last year, defines sex trafficking as when a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud or coercion, in which the person performing the sex act is younger than 18. The bill also increased the penalties for such crimes. Smith said before that bill became law, offenders were usually sentenced to take a sex trafficking class, maybe charged a fine and then released. With the new law in place, offenders will face life in prison with a chance of parole after various lengths of time.” [The Spectrum, 1/22/14]

Cortez Masto Fought For AB 164 To Increase Domestic Violence Penalties On Strangulation. “Metro Police have wasted no time enforcing a new law that went into effect July 1 that increases certain domestic violence penalties. Assembly Bill 164, approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jim Gibbons on May 6, revised a battery charge involving strangulation. […] The bill was introduced in the Assembly on Feb. 12 and passed both houses of the Legislature on May 1. Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto supported the bill. Assemblyman William Horne, D-LV, chief sponsor of the bill, said he was approached by the attorney general to introduce the enhanced punishment under domestic violence statutes.” [Las Vegas Sun, 7/23/09]

Since The Law Went Into Effect, 18 People Have Been Arrested Based On The New Charge. “Since the law went into effect, Metro Police Lt. Chris Carroll, of the Metro Police Domestic Violence Detail, said 18 people have been arrested based on the new charge. The bill amended Nevada revised statutes to increase penalties for domestic violence and battery involving strangulation, making it a category C felony, Carroll said. The maximum fine for each charge is $15,000.” [Las Vegas Sun, 7/23/09]

FACT: CORTEZ MASTO EXPANDED THE SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY AND SUCCESSFUL DEFENDED THE LAW FROM LEGAL CHALLENGES

Pahrump Valley Times: Cortez Masto’s Work Has Resulted In New Laws Strengthening The Registration And Notification Requirements Of Convicted Sex Offenders.” “Masto’s work has resulted in new laws strengthening the registration and notification requirements of convicted sex offenders and preventing a person from luring someone believed to be a child. During her presentation the attorney general told the students how her office works to get the ‘bad guys’ each day.” [Pahrump Valley Times, 3/21/14]

Cortez Masto’s Bill Changed Risk Classification And Tiered Sex Offenders Based On Their Risk To Re-Offend. “Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, whose office introduced the Walsh Act to Nevada’s Legislature in 2007and has been defending it in court ever since, said it’s up to the agencies that would be affected to figure out the costs. […] The risk of each to re-offend has to be reconsidered and reclassified. Nevada sex offenders are classified by tiers — the higher the tier, the higher the risk to re-offend. The higher the risk, the closer a sex offender is supposed to be monitored by parole and probation officials.” [Las Vegas Sun, 2/15/09]

Las Vegas Sun: AG Cortez Masto Introduced The Walsh Act And Defended It From Legal Challenges. “Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, whose office introduced the Walsh Act to Nevada’s Legislature in 2007 and has been defending it in court ever since, said it’s up to the agencies that would be affected to figure out the costs. But representatives of these agencies said nobody is running numbers while the law is stalled in court.” [Las Vegas Sun, 2/15/09]

Cortez Masto Applauded Court Ruling That Upheld Rigorous Sex Offender Reporting Requirements. “In 2008, U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan issued an injunction preventing the law from being applied retroactively. At the time, he expressed concerns that if Nevada posted its list of nearly 5,000 people convicted of sex crimes since 1956, there would be no way to restore their privacy if the law was later found to be flawed. The attorney general’s office appealed, and on Friday, Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto applauded the 9th Circuit’s ruling. ‘It has been a long and necessary fight,’ Mast said in a statement. ‘It creates a system that requires sex offenders to be subject to rigorous reporting requirements. We owe it to our community to do our best to protect our citizens, particularly those most vulnerable, from adult sex offenders.’” [Associated Press, 2/11/12]

Cortez Masto Spokesman: Previous Court Rulings Have Upheld Nevada Law Requiring Sex Offenders To Be Retroactively Classified. “A spokeswoman for Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto’s office pointed to previous court rulings, including one from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco that upheld Nevada’s law requiring sex offenders to be retroactively classified according to their crimes, not by their risk of reoffending. ‘The Nevada Supreme Court entered a stay of enforcement so they have an opportunity to review this law and determine whether it should be implemented,’ spokeswoman Jennifer Lopez said.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2/4/14]

Voiceover: NRSC is responsible for the content of this advertising.

REALITY: WASHINGTON REPUBLICANS ARE SPENDING MILLIONS TO DISTRACT FROM CONGRESSMAN HECK’S SUPPORT OF DONALD TRUMP…

Outside Groups Linked To The Koch Brothers And Mitch McConnell Have Already Spent Nearly $10 Million On Heck. “In the race to replace retiring Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), groups supporting Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV) spent $9.8 million compared to $2.5 million for those in support of former Lt. Gov. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV). […]The top spenders in all of these races are the same. On the Republican side, support comes from groups connected to the billionaire Koch brothers ― including Freedom Partners Action Fund, Americans for Prosperity and Concerned Veterans for America ― as well as from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and One Nation, a nonprofit group connected to both Karl Rove and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).” [Huffington Post, 7/13/16]

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Heck Received A “Big Boost” With Ads From A Dark Money Groups. “U.S. Senate candidate and Rep. Joe Heck is getting a big boost from One Nation, a nonprofit group with ties to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY. One Nation has launched a $792,000 ad buy that will run on Las Vegas TV and radio stations. The 30-second clip will run for 20 days, the group said in a press release Thursday.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 10/22/15]

Heck: “I Have High Hopes That We Will See Donald Trump Become The Next President.” “‘I have high hopes that we will see Donald Trump become the next president,’ he said. ‘Though I don’t necessarily agree with how he talks about women and minorities and all of his policy positions, but if he wants to make America great again by bringing jobs back to America, then I am willing to help him achieve those goals and hold him accountable. And as the next U.S. senator from Nevada, I will make sure I stand as a check against anything that is not in our best interest.’” [Pahrump Valley Times, 6/1/16]

KTNV: Heck “Swatted Away Suggestions” That Trump’s Rhetoric And Immigration Policies Would Hurt His Chances.“Heck also swatted away suggestions that Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump’s divisive rhetoric and plans to deport 11 million undocumented migrants would hurt his chances, saying that he won his demographically diverse congressional district by increasingly larger margins over the last three elections.” [KTNV,3/14/16]

Heck On Donald Trump: “He’s Out There Talking About What He Needs To Talk About To Run For President.” “So, what does Congressman Joe Heck, Nevada’s Republican candidate for US Senate, think of the guy at the top of the GOP presidential polls? ‘I don’t talk about Donald,’ Heck told News 3 after a morning event put on by the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce. ‘He’s out there talking about what he needs to talk about to run for President,’ Heck added after ‘Eggs and Issues,’ the Chamber’s breakfast debrief with local newsmakers. The Thursday event was held at Vdara in CityCenter.” [KSNV,8/27/15]

… AND HIS RECORD OF VOTING NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN WITH HIS PARTY BOSSES

Heck Has Voted With His Party 90 Percent Of The Time. According to CQ, Heck voted with his party 87% of the time in 2014, 93% of the time in 2013, 89% of the time in 2012, and 90% of the time in 2011. [CQ Vote Studies, Accessed 5/18/16]

Roll Call: Heck Was On The “Good Side” Of The More Conservative Wing Of The Republican Party. “Heck has managed to stay on the good side of the more conservative wing of the Republican Party, which could help him fend off a serious primary challenge from the right. Republicans hope to avoid the situation they faced in 2010, when a crowded, messy primary resulted in the nomination of Sharron Angle, a flawed and gaffe-prone candidate who lost what was seen as a winnable race against Reid.” [Roll Call, 5/11/15]

MSNBC: Heck Voted For A “Far Right” Budget Scraping Medicare, Opposed Minimum Wage Increases, Was A Staunch Opponent Of Reproductive Rights, And Called Social Security A Pyramid Scheme. “Republican Rep. Joe Heck is a prominent U.S. Senate candidate in Nevada, and at first blush, the conservative congressman, running for an open seat, appears to be well positioned. Nevada is a fast-growing swing state with a diverse population, and Heck has previously won with fairly broad support. But it won’t be easy. Heck voted for a far-right budget plan that tried to scrap Medicare; he’s opposed minimum-wage increases; the GOP candidate is a staunch opponent of reproductive rights; and he’s even condemned Social Security as a pyramid scheme.” [MSNBC, 9/2/15]

You may have heard there’s a growing political movement against mass incarceration. Someone should clue in the judges.

In the past 30 years, federal judges have turned to imprisonment — as opposed to probation — as the punishment of choice for even minor crimes, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. During that same period, federal cases have tripled in number.

The Pew study reports that “nine in 10 federal offenders received prison sentences in 2014, up from less than half in 1980, as the use of probation steadily declined.” Despite the ballooning number of cases in that time, 2014 saw 2,300 fewer probation sentences than 1980.

Part of the fault lies with the draconian mandatory minimum sentences that Congress passed in the 1980s and 1990s as it ratcheted up the so-called war on drugs. Attorney General Loretta Lynch told a group at Harvard Law School in mid-January that these laws have had a “devastating effect on poor communities, and were a drastic and ineffective response to the drug scourge of the 1980s.”

Val Kerry / Flickr

That may be true, but it’s not the whole story.

Drug cases account for about 47 percent of all federal crimes, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, or BOP. What about the other 53 percent? Should all of those people really be in prison? I think not.

The worst and most violent prisoners — murderers and terrorists, for example — are in maximum-security penitentiaries, which hold about 12 percent of the BOP’s prisoners. While we can certainly have a discussion about the use of solitary confinement in these facilities — critics like the United Nations call it torture — few would dispute that these dangerous offenders should be held securely.

Medium-security prisons, which still have high walls and guard towers, hold another 30 percent of federal prisoners. These are generally the bank robbers, serious drug offenders, people in on gun charges, and the like. If these prisoners are well behaved, and if they have fewer than 20 years to go on a sentence, they’re eligible to move to a low-security prison.

Low-security prisons hold another 38 percent of federal prisoners. Most people with mandatory minimum drug sentences are here, as are nearly all of the BOP’s pedophiles. Most prisoners at this level are on their best behavior because they hope to be transferred to a minimum-security work camp (though child abusers and violent offenders are ineligible).

But here’s a question: If a crime is so minor that a person can be sentenced to a work camp, which is outside the prison walls, then why are these people in prison at all?

Blaming mandatory minimums goes only so far. Not all crimes have them. In fact, most don’t.

So why would a judge willingly take a parent away from his family, or out of the workforce? Why disrupt a community when probation is a legitimate punishment that the judge has the authority to levy?

While on probation, the offender could continue to work and support his family, pay taxes and restitution, and still make amends with society. It makes more sense. It’s worked in the past.

If judges are serious about reducing prison populations, they’ll sentence more offenders to probation.

I remember when I first started watching Mad Men. Like most of America, I got hooked. How could I not? The glitz and glamour of 1960s Manhattan was irresistible. But from the very first episode, I knew there was something deeply wrong with this world — the business-as-usual, casual attitude towards sexual harassment.

As a modern “working gal,” I can’t imagine being productive in that kind of environment. In fact, I know I wouldn’t be. I’d be uncomfortable and unhappy, and my performance would suffer. We may not have equal pay for women yet, but at least workplace sexual harassment is no longer considered playful banter.

Aren’t we mostly past the Mad Men era? Not if you’re in the armed forces.

Our military men and women risk their safety everyday — but not in the ways you might think. The most recent Pentagon survey revealed that out of the estimated 26,000 sexual assaults that occurred in the military in 2012, only 3,374 cases were reported. That brings the report rate to a meager 13 percent, compared with the national average of 46 percent.

With all the progress women have made in the military, why is the sexual assault reporting rate so low?

The answer is clear: Military commanders have created an environment where women are afraid to stand up to their attackers. Of the women who reported instances of sexual assault, 62 percent suffered retaliation. The current system forces survivors to make an impossible choice: career or due process? It looks like the military justice system needs a 21st century wake-up call.

That makes sense, doesn’t it? Not to Senator Carl Levin (D-MI). Instead, Levin agrees with the top brass that the prosecution of assault cases should be kept within the ranks.

This won’t work. It’s already failed.

And James Taranto isn’t helping. The Wall Street Journal writer offers living proof that misogyny remains alive and well today. Taranto wrote that any attempt to address the military’s sexual assault problem is the equivalent of declaring a “war on men” and an “effort to criminalize male sexuality.”

I think we can all agree that this hasn’t been the best year for women. First, there was the media sympathy toward the Steubenville rapists. Then came the news that the already overwhelming number of sexual assaults in the military had increased yet again. And recently, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would prohibit abortion procedures after 20 weeks of pregnancy, down from the current 24 weeks.

It’s unrealistic to expect that the sources of these problems — the media, military, and the misinformed — can, or will, develop constructive solutions.

I understand that military commanders want the opportunity to reform from within, but the time for Mad Men style, backroom meetings is over. When Gillibrand reintroduces her bill later this summer, Congress needs to give change a chance.

Colleen Teubner is a student at the George Washington University and an OtherWords intern at the Institute for Policy Studies. OtherWords.org. Photo credit to www.feedtacoma.com